It consists in a competitive assessment procedure of student candidates of the Master Program Social Work at FHJ in Graz in order to identify and understand different needs and previous (professional and scientific) experience of learners in the Master curriculum to allow them to be lifted up to a common level. The candidates are diverse according to their previous learning experience, differing in the extent of experience in social work training, other disciplines qualifications, and professional experience in social work, so that three groups can be kept distinct. Information about learner are acquired during the application process through the following steps: 1) a Curriculum Vitae of the applicant; 2) an essay or exposé on an intended topic of a Master thesis (reflecting different competencies in doing scientific research); and 3) an oral interview with a commission. On the basis of these tools of the application process, the commission decides on the admission of the students and assigns them to three different groups. 4) Self-identification: Accepted students are also asked whether they can fundamentally confirm the requirements for this group assignment (extent of previous academic and professional experience). In order to bring the three groups mentioned to a similar level of knowledge by the end of the first semester, they will receive tailor-made training: (1) Group A receives an introduction to the theory and empiricism of social work; (2) Group B will have the opportunity to gain more professional experience in social work; (3) Group C receives a “Studium Generale” to support academic work. This tailored training in the first semester of study provides three scenarios, methodologies or methods to take into account the diversity and different needs of the three groups of students. The GP deals with the following diversity types (with regard to Erasmus+ priorities): barriers linked to education and training system. The GP transferability is limited, since this is an assessment procedure for a specific program. However, the GP is innovative in dealing with diverse barriers linked to education and training system and its main ideas are adaptable for other contexts as well. |